How do I remove a channel from Roku that offers subscriptions?

Issue

Removing SVOD or TVOD channel from the public Roku Channel Store

Environment

SDK

Roku Pay

Answer

In order to remove a channel that offers in-channel purchases from the platform, follow these steps:

1. Notify existing users at least two weeks in advance that your channel will be sunsetting on X date.
2. Navigate to Manage My In-Channel Products and edit all products so "Cleared for Sale" is marked as "No."

If In-Channel Products are not uncleared for sale, your subscribers will still be charged. Deleting In-Channel Products doesn't cancel subscriptions.

1. • If a user is subscribed to an un-cleared for sale product, their subscription will automatically be canceled on their next billing cycle. For example, if a user is charged for a monthly subscription on the 15th of each month, their subscription will automatically be canceled on the 15th of the next month in their billing cycle. 
2. Using your historical transaction data, generate refunds and cancellations for all existing subscribers using the Roku Web Service API.
3. Notify Partner Success to confirm the above steps have been completed. 
4. Partner Success takes channel off the public Channel Store and marks the channel as "beta."

Additional Resources

Other things to consider:

Do you offer another way for users to subscribe to your service, outside of on the Roku device?

If so, Roku does not have a way to prevent those users from purchasing your services elsewhere. Users will, however, be prevented from searching for and adding the channel to their Roku account after the takedown is complete. 

Are you only removing a channel from a specific channel store region, rather than completely removing it off the platform? Follow these steps below:

1. Notify existing users at least two weeks in advance that your channel will be sunsetting in their region on X date.
2. Navigate to Manage My In-Channel Products and edit all applicable products in the takedown region so "Cleared for Sale" is marked as "No." If you do not offer region-specific products, skip this step. 
   • If a user is subscribed to an un-cleared for sale product, their subscription will automatically be canceled on their next billing cycle. For example, if a user is charged for a monthly subscription on the 15th of each month, their subscription will automatically be canceled on the 15th of the next month in their billing cycle. 
3. Using your historical transaction data, generate refunds and cancellations for all existing subscribers using the Roku Web Service API.
4. Notify Partner Success to confirm the above steps have been completed. In your ticket, be sure to include what channel store region you'd like removed from your channel. 
5. Partner Success removes your channel from the applicable channel store.